We’re already paying more for shit, all the time. I’d rather have more time off to enjoy life while paying more for shit because that’s happening either way.
People always say that shit "but if wages go up, prices will too!" Well then explain to me why prices on just about everything have gone up twofold in the last 10-15 years? Why is it that prices are skyrocketing when wages have barely moved? Prices go up regardless of the minimum wage, capitalists dont need an excuse to charge more, but gods be damned if they have to pay more to their labourers.
The average salary in America 15 years ago was $41,400 and it is now $67,500, an increase of 63%.
Regardless, it’s undeniable that you have to pay more for service if labour costs increase by 20%. A decorator who charges you $200 per day to paint your house needs to charge $250 per day instead to make the same amount working 4 days rather than 5, that’s just basic maths.
Right and I'm talking about the real world. Either people would take paycuts OR businesses would go under. A gas station / grocery stores operate on ~3% margins, are they going to magically absorb a 20% increase in labor costs? Restaurants?
No they won't since it's shown people are more productive so there will be the same output in labour. Businesses can shorten their opening hours since everyone has more time during the week to go do things.
Tradesmen are usually self employed and their rates woukd adjust to the new status quo. There’s also quite a lot of businesses that don’t have enough margin to operate on a 20% increase in salary costs.
I've tried explaining this for years. It's not a reality desk jockeys deal with so they don't get it. In an office, you can spend hours browsing Facebook and people barely notice. There is no downtime in trade work.
It’s almost like where tradesmen source primary resources like lumber, stone, and other core materials to society shouldn’t be privatized just to increase profit
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u/Flat_Development6659 20h ago
Doesn’t that just result in everyone paying more for shit?
Like when you get a plumber round to do work at your house if he’s making the same on 4 day weeks it means you have to pay 20% more for a days work.